We made a visit to Spittal today-a seaside resort just south of Berwick. Its name comes from Hospital and was once a leper’s community. It then had a brief moment as a booming seaside resort for the wool mills in the central Borders like Hawick and Galashiels at a time when a railway ran from Galashiels to Berwick with a branch line to Spittal. Then the closing of branch lines and holidays in foreign parts plus the popularity (and the mobility) of the caravan did for the tourist trade to this tiny resort. It has a faded charm and tries to exploit the Lowry connection. The great industrial painter was a frequent visitor to Spittal and to Berwick and there is a ‘Lowry trail’ taking in both towns-indeed he did a number of paintings of local scenes and people.
The beach is photogenic but is littered with storm and flood debris washed down the Tweed, and what is not taken up with this flotsam is covered rapidly with steaming Dog turds. They are visible on the Promenade as well and apparently local people are too nice or too timid to ask the hundreds of dog owners to scoop the poop. Those who do scoop and embag the proceeds seem to leave the plastic bags, neatly tied, as a kind of votive offering on the Promenade despite the many depositories vying for custom. Best to walk on the beach immediately after a high tide but even then watch your step.
